Morristown, New Jersey
:This article is about the Town of Morristown in New Jersey. Other places in New Jersey with similar names are Morris Township, Morris Plains, and Moorestown Township. , Geographic Names Information System. Accessed March 8, 2013. |elevation_m = |elevation_ft = 315 |coordinates_type = region:US_type:city |coordinates_region = US-NJ |coordinates_display = inline,title |coordinates_footnotes = |latd = 40.796562 |longd = -74.477318 |postal_code_type = ZIP code |postal_code = 07960-07963Look Up a ZIP Code, United States Postal Service. Accessed September 4, 2011. |area_code = 862/973 |blank_name = FIPS code |blank_info = 3402748300 A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 19, 2012. |blank1_name = GNIS feature ID |blank1_info = 0885309 |website = |footnotes = }} Morristown is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 18,411, reflecting a decline of 133 (-0.7%) from the 18,544 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 2,355 (+14.5%) from the 16,189 counted in the 1990 Census.Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed July 19, 2012. It is the county seat of Morris County. Morris County, NJ, National Association of Counties. Accessed January 21, 2013. Morristown has been called "the military capital of the American Revolution" because of its strategic role in the war for independence from Great Britain.About Morristown, Town of Morristown. Accessed April 3, 2013. "Morristown became characterized as 'the military capital of the American Revolution' because of its strategic role in the war for independence from Great Britain."Weig, Melvin J.; and Craig, Vera B. [http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/hh/7/index.htm Morristown: A Military Capital of the American Revolution], National Park Service, 1950, reprinted 1961. Accessed July 19, 2011. Today this history is visible in a variety of locations throughout the town that collectively make up Morristown National Historical Park. The area was inhabited by the Lenni Lenape Native Americans for up to 6,000 years prior to exploration by Europeans.Nye, Melinda. "Panning for Old", Skylands Visitor. Accessed December 19, 2012. The first European settlements in this portion of New Jersey were established by the Swedes and Dutch in the early 17th century, when a significant trade in furs existed between the natives and the Europeans at temporary posts. It became part of the Dutch colony of New Netherland, but the English seized control of the region in 1664, which was granted to Sir George Carteret and John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton, as the Province of New Jersey. In British colonial records, the first permanent European settlement at Morristown occurred in 1715, when a village was founded as New Hanover by migrants from New York and Connecticut. Morris County was created on March 15, 1739, from portions of Hunterdon County. The county was named for the popular Governor of the Province, Lewis Morris, who championed benefits for the colonists. Following the American Revolution the former colony became the state of New Jersey and almost 100 years after the American Revolution began, Morristown was incorporated as a town by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 6, 1865, within Morris Township, and it was formally set off from the township in 1895.Snyder, John P. [http://www.state.nj.us/dep/njgs/enviroed/oldpubs/bulletin67.pdf The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968], Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 195. Accessed July 19, 2012. History Eighteenth century Morristown was settled around 1715 by English Presbyterians from Southold, New York on Long Island and New Haven, Connecticut as the village of New Hanover.Staff. "Morristown Timeline", Daily Record (Morristown), March 23, 2000. Accessed July 19, 2012. "1715 - The Green is established as the center of the community of Morristown, then known as West Hanover, or New Hanover.... 1740 - Morris County separates from Hunterdon County and about half of the new county becomes the Township of Morris. As the most promising village in the county, West Hanover changes its name to Morristown, in honor of Lewis Morris, the first governor of the colony of New Jersey after it separated from New York."Cheslow, Jerry. "If You're Thinking of Living In /Morristown, N.J.; Presence of the Past in a Lively Downtown", The New York Times, October 31, 1999. Accessed July 19, 2012. "The downtown radiates from a trapezoidal green that was set aside by the town's first Presbyterian settlers, who arrived from New England in 1715." The town's central location and road connections led to its selection as the seat of the new Morris County shortly after its separation from Hunterdon County on March 15, 1739.Karp, Bob. "Arcadia Publishing", Daily Record (Morristown), January 14, 2003. Accessed July 19, 2012. "Its central location, at the convergence of all the local roads, were one reason Morristown was named the county seat when Morris County was created in 1739, the first courts were held at Jacob Ford's house, and in 1740 he was appointed collector of Morris township." The village and county were named for Lewis Morris, the first and then sitting royal governor of a united colony of New Jersey. By the middle of the 18th century, Morristown had 250 residents, with two churches, a courthouse, two taverns, two schools, several stores, and numerous mills and farms nearby. George Washington first came to Morristown in May 1773, two years before the Revolutionary War broke out, and traveled from there to New York City together with John Parke Custis (his stepson) and Lord Stirling.Editorial. "225th Anniversary", Daily Record (Morristown), January 3, 2002. Accessed February 20, 2011. "He was in Basking Ridge and at Morristown's Mount Kemble with stepson John Parke Custis and patriot Lord Stirling in May of 1773 before the war." In 1777, General George Washington and the Continental Army marched from the victories at Trenton and Princeton to encamp near Morristown from January to May. Washington had his headquarters during that first encampment at Jacob Arnold's Tavern located at the Morristown Green in the center of the town.Jacob Arnold's Tavern, The North Jersey History and Genealogy Center. Accessed July 17, 2011. Morristown was selected for its extremely strategic location.Why Morristown?, National Park Service Museum Collection, American Revolutionary War, Morristown National Historic Park - map shows the important geographic features that led to the importance of the site and the Hobart Pass. It was between Philadelphia and New York and near New England. It also was chosen for the skills and trades of the residents, local industries and natural resources to provide arms, and what was thought to be the ability of the community to provide enough food to support the army. The churches were used for inoculations for smallpox. That first Headquarters, Arnold's Tavern, was eventually moved south of the green onto Mount Kemble Avenue to become All Souls Hospital in the late 19th century. It suffered a fire in 1918, and the original structure was demolished, but new buildings for the hospital were built directly across the street.All Souls Hospital, The North Jersey History and Genealogy Center. Accessed July 17, 2011.Whatever happened to Washington's 1777 HQ in Morristown?, accessed May 7, 2006. From December 1779 to June 1780 the Continental Army's second encampment at Morristown was at Jockey Hollow. Then, Washington's headquarters in Morristown was located at the Ford Mansion, a large mansion near what was then the 'edge of town.' Ford's widow and children shared the house with Martha Washington and officers of the Continental Army.Hubbard, Louise. "Home Was Washington's Base", Edmonton Journal, January 3, 1962. Accessed July 19, 2012. "General george Washington accepted Mrs. Theodosia's invitation to make her home his headquarters the winter of 1779-80 and lived there longer than in any other encampment of the Continental army... The widow Ford kept two rooms for her family and Washington expressed the discomfort of the too-many tenants in a letter..."" The winter of 1780 was the worst winter of the Revolutionary War. The starvation was complicated by extreme inflation of money and lack of pay for the army. The entire Pennsylvania contingent successfully mutinied and later, 200 New Jersey soldiers attempted to emulate them (unsuccessfully). During Washington's second stay, in March 1780, he declared St. Patrick's Day a holiday to honor his many Irish troops.The "Hard" Winter of 1779—80, National Park Service. Accessed March 17, 2006. Martha Washington traveled from Virginia and remained with her husband each winter throughout the war. The Marquis de Lafayette came to Washington in Morristown to inform him that France would be sending ships and trained soldiers to aid the Continental Army.Staff. "Continental Army Froze, Starved, at Morristown", Hartford Courant, February 23, 1963. Accessed July 19, 2012. "The Marquis de Lafayette arrived in Morristown to tell Washington that France was sending America six ships and 6,000 well-trained troops." The Ford Mansion, Jockey Hollow, and Fort Nonsense are all preserved as part of Morristown National Historical Park managed by the National Park Service, which has the distinction among historic preservationists of being the first National Historical Park established in the United States.Northwest Skylands: Morristown National Historical Park, New Jersey Skylands. Accessed September 17, 2006.Fort Nonsense taken from Steeple of the Old First church, not dated, Morristown, NJ, Morristown & Morris Township Public Library, The North Jersey History & Genealogy Center. Accessed August 20, 2011. During Washington's stay, Benedict Arnold was court-martialed at Dickerson's Tavern on Spring Street in Morristown, for charges related to profiteering from military supplies at Philadelphia. His admonishment was made public, but Washington quietly promised the hero, Arnold, to make it up to him.Dickerson's Tavern, The North Jersey History and Genealogy Center. Accessed July 17, 2011. Alexander Hamilton courted and wed Betsy Schuyler at a residence where Washington's personal physician was billeted. Locally known as the Schuyler-Hamilton House, the Dr. Jabez Campfield House is listed on both the New Jersey and National Registry of Historic Places. Olyphant Place, house, Dr. Jabez Campfield's house, not dated, Morristown, NJ, Morristown & Morris Township Public Library, The North Jersey History & Genealogy Center . Accessed August 20, 2011. The Morristown Green has a statue commemorating the meeting of George Washington, the young Marquis de LaFayette, and young Alexander Hamilton depicting them discussing forthcoming aid of French tall ships and troops being sent by King Louis XVI of France to aid the Continental Army.Washington, Lafayette and Hamilton Bronzes - Morristown Green - Morristown, NJ, Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area. Accessed August 20, 2011. "One of the main focal points on the central Green in Morristown, New Jersey is the life-sized sculptural grouping of General Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and the Marquis de Lafayette, known as "The Alliance." It commemorates Lafayette's arrival with news of French support for the American cause." Morristown's Burnham Park has a statue of the "Father of the American Revolution", Thomas Paine, who wrote the best selling booklet Common Sense, which urged a complete break from British rule. The bronze statue, by sculptor Georg J. Lober, shows Paine in 1776 (using a drum as a table during the withdrawal of the army across New Jersey) composing Crisis 1. He wrote These are the times that try men's souls .... The statue was dedicated on July 4, 1950.Staff. "Paine Statue Unveiled; 3,000 at Morristown Ceremony in Memory of Patriot", The New York Times, July 5, 1950. Accessed October 7, 2008. Nineteenth century to present The idea for constructing the Morris Canal is credited to Morristown businessman George P. Macculloch, who in 1822 convened a group to discuss his concept for a canal. The group included Governor of New Jersey Isaac Halstead Williamson, which led to approval of the proposal by the New Jersey Legislature later that year. The canal was used for a century.A Brief History, Morris Canal Greenway. Acecssed August 20, 2011. "George P. Macculloch, a Morristown businessman, must be given the credit for conceiving the idea for the Morris Canal and ultimately carrying it through to completion. In 1822 he brought a group of interested citizens together at Morristown including Governor Isaac Williamson to discuss his idea with them. His proposal was received favorably." The Marquis de Lafayette returned to Morristown in July 1825 on his return tour of the United States, where a ball was held in his honor at the 1807 Sansay House on DeHart Street, which still stands.Sansay House, The North Jersey History and Genealogy Center. Accessed July 17, 2011. Antoine le Blanc, a French immigrant laborer murdered the Sayre family and their servant (or possibly slave), Phoebe. He was tried and convicted of murder of the Sayres (but not of Phoebe) on August 13, 1833. On September 6, 1833, Le Blanc became the last person hanged on the Morristown Green. Until late 2006, the house where the murders were committed was known as "Jimmy's Haunt," which is purported to be haunted by Phoebe's ghost because her murder never saw justice. In 2007 Jimmy's Haunt was torn down to make way for a bank. Samuel F. B. Morse and Alfred Vail built the first telegraph at the Speedwell Ironworks in Morristown on January 6, 1838. The first telegraph message was A patient waiter is no loser. The first public demonstration of the invention occurred five days later as an early step toward the information age.Historic Speedwell, Morris County, New Jersey Parks Commission. Accessed August 20, 2011. "The most significant building at Historic Speedwell is the Factory, a National Historic Landmark where Stephen Vail's son, Alfred, worked with Samuel F.B. Morse to perfect the telegraph. It was here on January 11, 1838 where the electromagnetic telegraph was first publicly demonstrated - making Historic Speedwell the 'Birthplace of the Telegraph.'" Jacob Arnold's Tavern, the first headquarters for Washington in Morristown, was purchased by the Colles family to save it from demolition in 1886. It was moved by horse-power in the winter of 1887 from "the green" (after being stuck on Bank Street for about six weeks) to a site south on Mount Kemble Avenue at what is now a parking lot for the Atlantic RIMM Rehabilitation Hospital. It became a boarding house for four years until it was converted by the Grey Nuns from Montreal into All Souls Hospital, the first general hospital in Morris County.All Soul's Hospital, North Jersey History and Genealogy Center. Accessed July 17, 2011. George and Martha Washington's second floor ballroom became a chapel and the first floor tavern became a ward for patients. The building was lost to a fire in 1918.All Soul's Hospital after 1918 fire, North Jersey History and Genealogy Center. Accessed July 17, 2011. The entire organization, nurses, doctors, and patients of All Souls Hospital were then moved across Mount Kemble Avenue, U.S. Route 202, to a newly built brick hospital building. All Souls' was set to close because of financial difficulties in the late 1960s. In 1973, it became Community Medical Center. In 1977, the center became bankrupt and was purchased by the then new and larger Morristown Memorial Hospital, which is now the Morristown Medical Center.Staff. "'Recycling' a Hospital that was Underused, The New York Times, December 1, 1985. Accessed September 18, 2009. On December 18, 1843, the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church was incorporated. This was the first congregation established by African-Americans in Morris County. It is still active. The first site of the Church was located at 13 Spring Street and served as the only schoolhouse for colored children until 1870. The Church relocated to its present site at 59 Spring Street in 1874.Friedman, Alan. "Church full of 'ordinary people'", Daily Record (Morristown), October 18, 2006. Accessed December 17, 2012. "According to county records, in 1843 the Bethel Mite Society received a certificate of incorporation for the church, which was recorded under the name of 'The African Methodist Episcopal Church of Morristown."Staff. "Coming back home again; Morristown High grad will lead choir in concert at Bethel A.M.E. Church", Daily Record (Morristown), June 17, 2004. Accessed December 17, 2012. "Sandra Singleton Barnhardt, a 1969 graduate of Morristown High School, will come home to Bethel A.M.E. Church, the oldest African-American church in Morris County, to host a benefit Saturday beginning at 6 p.m." On January 5, 2009, five red lights were spotted in the Morristown area night skies. The event was a staged hoax using helium balloons and flares, but became nationally known as the Morristown UFO hoax.Schillaci, Sarah. "2 reveal UFO hoax, but prosecutor for Morris not smiling", The Star-Ledger, April 3, 2009. Accessed August 20, 2011. "Between early January and late February, Russo and Rudy used Duct tape, fishing line, roadside flares and balloons to pull off a hoax that had many in North Jersey wondering whether UFOs were hovering over Morris County." Geography Morristown is located at (40.796562,-74.477318). According to the United States Census Bureau, Morristown had a total area of 3.026 square miles (7.839 km2), of which, 2.929 square miles (7.587 km2) of it is land and 0.097 square miles (0.252 km2) of it (3.22%) is water. The downtown shopping and business district of Morristown is centered around a square park, known as the Morristown Green. It is a former market square from Morristown's colonial days. Climate Morristown has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dwa). |date=August 2010 }} Demographics 2010 Census The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $64,279 (with a margin of error of +/- $5,628) and the median family income was $66,070 (+/- $3,638). Males had a median income of $51,242 (+/- $6,106) versus $44,315 (+/- $5,443) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $37,573 (+/- $2,286). About 10.2% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.1% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Morristown town, Morris County, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 19, 2012. 2000 Census As of the 2000 United States Census there were 18,544 people, 7,252 households, and 3,698 families residing in the town. The population density was 6,303.9 people per square mile (2,435.3/km2). There were 7,615 housing units at an average density of 2,588.7 per square mile (1,000.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 67.63% White, 16.95% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 3.77% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 8.48% from other races, and 3.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 27.15% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Morristown town, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 27, 2011.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Morristown town, Morris County, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 19, 2012. 9.8% of Morristown residents identified themselves as being of Colombian American ancestry in the 2000 Census, the eighth- highest percentage of the population of any municipality in the United States.Top 101 cities with the most residents born in Colombia (population 500+), City-Data. Accessed February 21, 2011. 4.5% of Morristown residents identified themselves as being of Honduran American ancestry in the 2000 Census, the sixth-highest percentage of the population of any municipality in the United States.Top 101 cities with the most residents born in Honduras (population 500+), City-Data. Accessed February 21, 2011. There were 7,252 households out of which 22.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.4% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.0% were non-families. 38.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.19. In the town the population was spread out with 18.4% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 40.4% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 100.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.7 males. The median income for a household in the town was $57,563, and the median income for a family was $66,419. Males had a median income of $42,363 versus $37,045 for females. The per capita income for the town was $30,086. About 7.1% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.5% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over. Government Local government Morristown is governed under a Plan F Mayor-Council system of New Jersey municipal government under the Faulkner Act, which went into effect on January 1, 1974.2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 116.Morris County Manual 2006: Town of Morristown, Morris County, New Jersey, accessed April 17, 2007. The Morristown Town Council consists of seven members: three members elected at-large representing the entire town; and four members representing each of the town's four wards. Members are elected to four-year terms of office on a staggered basis; there is an election every two years, either for the four ward seats or for the at-large and mayoral seats. As the legislative arm of the government, the council is responsible for making and setting policy for the town. , the Mayor of Morristown is Timothy Dougherty (Democratic), elected in November 2009 to office for a four-year term that ends December 31, 2013.Mayor Timothy Dougherty, Town of Morristown. Accessed July 28, 2013. Members of the Morristown Town Council are Council President Michelle Dupree Harris (D; At Large, 2013), Vice President Rebecca Feldman (I; Ward I, 2015), Stefan Armington (D; Ward III, 2015), Alison Deeb (R; Ward IV, 2015), Toshiba Foster (D; At Large, 2013; chosen in 2012 to serve the unexpired term of Anthony CattanoZaremba, Justin. "Community organizer to replace Morristown councilman who died of cancer", The Star-Ledger, September 28, 2012. Accessed July 28, 2013. "Toshiba Foster, a member of the planning board, was selected by the council Thursday night to succeed Councilman Anthony Cattano Jr., who died of cancer on Sept. 4, after the other candidates withdrew from the race, according to the Town Clerk's Office."), Kevin Gsell (At Large, 2013), Raline Smith-Reid (D; Ward II, 2015).Town Council Directory, Town of Morristown. Accessed July 28, 2013.[http://morriscountyclerk.org/Manual2013-Final.pdf#page=50 Morris County Manual 2013], p. 49. Morris County, New Jersey. Accessed July 28, 2013. The anticipated municipal budget for 2012 was $35,866,988.Budget Summary: Comparison of FY 2008 to FY 2012, Town of Morristown. Accessed April 15, 2012. Federal, state, and county representation Morristown is located in the 11th Congressional DistrictPlan Components Report, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed January 6, 2013. and is part of New Jersey's 25th state legislative district.Municipalities Grouped by 2011-2020 Legislative Districts, New Jersey Department of State, p. 12. Accessed January 6, 2013.[http://www.lwvnj.org/images/CG/2012_CG.pdf#page=61 2012 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government], p. 61, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed January 6, 2013.Districts by Number for 2011-2020, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 6, 2013. Politics As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 9,259 registered voters in Morristown, of which 3,905 (42.2%) were registered as Democrats, 1,648 (17.8%) were registered as Republicans and 3,698 (39.9%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 8 voters registered to other parties.Voter Registration Summary - Morris, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed December 19, 2012. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 68.1% of the vote here (4,738 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 30.0% (2,084 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (67 votes), among the 6,953 ballots cast by the town's 9,741 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.4%.2008 Presidential General Election Results: Morris County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed December 19, 2012. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 62.8% of the vote here (4,138 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 35.9% (2,370 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (53 votes), among the 6,593 ballots cast by the town's 9,890 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 66.7.2004 Presidential Election: Morris County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed December 19, 2012. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 52.1% of the vote here (2,263 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 37.4% (1,623 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 8.1% (350 votes) and other candidates with 0.4% (16 votes), among the 4,340 ballots cast by the town's 9,393 registered voters, yielding a 46.2% turnout.2009 Governor: Morris County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed December 19, 2012. Education The Morris School District is a regional public school district that serves the communities of Morristown and Morris Township, and high school students (grades 9-12) from Morris Plains who attend the high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Morris Plains Schools.Morristown High School 2011 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 19, 2012. "Since 1869, Morristown High School maintains a proud history as a comprehensive secondary school serving the intellectual, social, athletic and career needs of its students.... 1,478 ethnically diverse students speaking more than 20 different languages, the educational program serves the students entrusted to the school by its communities: Morristown, Morris Township and Morris Plains." Schools in the district (with 2010-11 enrollment data from the National Center for Education StatisticsData for the Morris School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 19, 2012.) are Lafayette Learning CenterLafayette Learning Center, Morris School District. Accessed July 28, 2013. (PreK; 113 students), Alfred Vail SchoolAlfred Vail School, Morris School District. Accessed July 28, 2013. (K-2; 321), Woodland SchoolWoodland School, Morris School District. Accessed July 28, 2013. (K-2; 336), Alexander Hamilton SchoolAlexander Hamilton School, Morris School District. Accessed July 28, 2013. (3-5; 268), Hillcrest SchoolHillcrest School, Morris School District. Accessed July 28, 2013. (3-5; NA), Thomas Jefferson SchoolThomas Jefferson School, Morris School District. Accessed July 28, 2013. (3-5; 309), Normandy Park SchoolNormandy Park School, Morris School District. Accessed July 28, 2013. (K-5; 391), Sussex Avenue SchoolSussex Avenue School, Morris School District. Accessed July 28, 2013. (3-5; 326), Frelinghuysen Middle SchoolFrelinghuysen Middle School, Morris School District. Accessed July 28, 2013. (6-8; 1,027) and Morristown High SchoolMorristown High School, Morris School District. Accessed July 28, 2013. (9-12; 1,482 students).New Jersey School Directory for the Morris School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed July 28, 2013. In addition to a public school system, Morristown has several private schools. Primary and elementary schools include The Red Oaks School, a Montessori school serving students from pre-school through grade six. Assumption Roman Catholic is a grade school (K-8) that operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson.Morris County Elementary / Secondary Schools, Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson. Accessed July 26, 2008. The Peck School, a private day school which serves approximately 300 students in kindergarten through grade eight, dates back to 1893 when it was originally established as Miss Sutphen's School.About Peck, The Peck School. Accessed December 19, 2012. The Delbarton School is an all-boys Roman Catholic school with approximately 540 students in grades seven through twelve, that began serving resident students in 1939 after having previously served as a seminary.Our History, Delbarton School. Accessed December 19, 2012. The Morristown-Beard School, a private co-ed school formed from the merger of two previously existing institutions, Morristown Preparatory School and Miss Beard's School, serves grades 6 through 12.History, Morristown-Beard School. Accessed December 19, 2012. In addition, Villa Walsh Academy, a private Catholic college preparatory school conducted by the Religious Teachers Filippini, is located in Morristown.History, Villa Walsh Academy. Accessed December 19, 2012. The Academy of Saint Elizabeth was founded at Morristown in 1860 by the Sisters of Charity, however when municipal boundaries were redrawn in 1895, the Academy found itself in the Convent Station section of the adjacent Morris Township. The Rabbinical College of America, one of the largest Chabad Lubavitch Chasidic yeshivas in the world is located in Morristown. The Rabbinical College of America has a Baal Teshuva yeshiva for students of diverse Jewish backgrounds, named Yeshiva Tiferes Bachurim.Yeshiva Tiferes The New Jersey Regional Headquarters for the worldwide Chabad Lubavitch movement is located on the campus. Transit-oriented development " in Morristown]] Morristown has attempted to implement transit-oriented development. Morristown was one of the first five “transit villages” designated in New Jersey in 2000. In 1999, Morristown changed its zoning code to designate the area around the train station as a “Transit Village Core” for mixed-use. The designation was at least partly responsible for development plans for several mixed-use condominium developments.Drobness, Tanya. "Transit village units ready for sale in Morristown", The Star-Ledger, July 12, 2009. Accessed February 20, 2011. As a town with New Jersey Transit rail service at the Morristown station, it benefited from shortened commuting times to New York City due to the "Midtown Direct" service New Jersey Transit instituted in the 1990s. Local media WMTR is an AM radio station at 1250 kHz is licensed to Morristown. The station features an oldies format. WJSV radio (90.5 FM) also exists in Morristown, the nonprofit radio station of Morristown High School, which also has a television show which airs, Colonial Corner. The [[Daily Record (Morristown)|Morristown Daily Record]] is published locally, as is New Jersey Monthly magazine. Hometown Tales, a Public-access television show and podcast chronicling stories and urban legends from around the world, is loosely based in Morristown. Sports The New Jersey Minutemen are a professional inline hockey team that competes in the Eastern Conference of the Professional Inline Hockey Association. The United States Equestrian Team, USET, the international equestrian team for the United States, was founded in 1950 at the Coates estate on van Beuren Road in Morristown. Morristown has a cricketing club, the first in North America.Indoor Cricket USA - Bringing Tradition Inside The Morristown 1776 Association Football Club is a Soccer club that competes in the North Jersey Soccer League and MCSSA Statues * One of only two heroic statues of Thomas Paine in the United States is located in Morristown, the other is found in Bordentown. http://www.hmdb.org/Marker.asp?Marker=5176 * One of the few statues depicting an unblindfolded Lady Justice adorns the facade of the Courthouse.Virtual Walking Tour of Historic Morristown, Morristown partnership. Accessed August 4, 2008. "Above the front entrance to the courthouse stands a wooden statue of Justice. She holds a scale to symbolize the balanced judicial system, and a sword to represent the protection of individual rights. Morristown´s statue of Justice is unlike most others because she is not blindfolded." Economy Companies based in Morristown include Honeywell, Covanta Energy, Schindler Group and the Morristown & Erie Railway, a local short-line freight railway. Morristown Medical Center is a major employer in Morristown. Morristown is home to the Morris Museum. Notable natives and residents Some noted current and former residents: * Bonnie Lee Bakley (1956–2001), murdered wife of Robert Blake, was born in Morristown."Blake Transferred To County Jail As He Awaits Murder Charges", WMAQ-TV, April 19, 2002. Accessed October 15, 2007. "The Morristown, N.J., native had a criminal record for a 1989 drug-related arrest in Tennessee, where she associated herself with singer Jerry Lee Lewis and his sister." * Brendan Buckley, drummer.Bio: Brendan Buckley, RhythmTech. Accessed November 28, 2007. "Brendan Buckley grew up in the New Jersey area (Morristown and Mount Arlington) before moving to Miami to attend the University of Miami's School of Music." * Lincoln Child (born 1957) author of techno-thriller and horror novels.Rohan, Virginia. "The Monster on the Doodle Pad -- Lincoln Child's 'The Relic' is the Product", The Record (Bergen County), January 28, 1997. Accessed December 5, 2007. "When Lincoln Child was just a lad, his mother handed him a big black notebook. First, he doodled in the front. Then, the Morristown novelist recalls, 'I turned to the back, and I drew something so frightening I could never look at it again.'" * George T. Cobb (1813–1870), represented New Jersey's 4th congressional district from 1861 to 1863, and Mayor of Morristown from 1865 to 1869.George T. Cobb, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed August 18, 2007. * Augustus W. Cutler (1827–1897), U.S. Representative from New Jersey.Augustus W. Cutler, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed July 24, 2007. * Peter Dinklage (born 1969), actor.Meoli, Daria. "That’s Entertainment", New Jersey Monthly, October 2005. Accessed December 26, 2007. "Find Me Guilty, shot in Newark, Bayonne, and Hoboken, stars tough guy Vin Diesel as Giacomo “Fat Jack” DiNorscio, in the true story of New Jersey’s notorious mob family the Lucchesis. Morristown native Peter Dinklage plays a defense attorney." * Caroline C. Fillmore (1813–1881), wife of President Millard Fillmore, was born in Morristown.Caroline Carmichael McIntosh Fillmore, Buffalo Architecture and History. Accessed November 23, 2008. "Caroline Carmichael was the daughter of Charles Carmichael and Temperance Blachley Carmichael. She was born in Morristown, New Jersey, 10/21/1813." * Steve Forbes (born 1947), editor-in-chief of Forbes and two-time Republican candidate for President of the United States."Steve Forbes", Forbes, June 6, 2002. Accessed March 12, 2013. "Steve Forbes was born on July 18, 1947, in Morristown, N.J." * Adam Gardner (born 1973), singer/songwriter/guitarist of the band Guster grew up in Morristown.Staff. "danielle austen", Daily Record (New Jersey), June 27, 2003. Accessed January 3, 2011. "Adam Gardner of the band Guster right grew up in Morristown." * Samuel Hazard Gillespie, Jr. (1910–2011), former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.Staff. "S.H. GILLESPIE, 79, IMPORTER, IS DEAD; Retired Partner in Concern Here Aided U.S. in War as Transport Expert", The New York Times, December 2, 1957. Accessed January 3, 2011. "MORRISTOWN, N.J., Dec. 1 --Samuel Hazard Gillespie, a retired exporter and importer, died here today at his home, 25 Ogden Place." * Justin Gimelstob (born 1977), professional tennis player.Robbins, Liz. "Tennis: Notebook; Gimelstob Says Fine For Spitting Is Low", The New York Times, August 31, 2001. Accessed May 9, 2012. "Gimelstob was so disturbed that he threatened to find Tabara in the locker room afterward. Yesterday, Gimelstob, from Morristown, N.J., was even more angry." * Anna Harrison (1775–1864), First Lady of the United States, wife of President William Henry Harrison and grandmother of President Benjamin Harrison.Brooks, Gertrude Zeth. "The First Ladies Of The Nation", Reading Eagle, September 9, 1960. Accessed September 4, 2011. "As the wife of a president of the United States and grandmother of a later one, Anna Symmes Harrison was the first First Lady from the state of New Jersey. She was born in Morristown, N.J., during the first year of the Revolutionary War and died during the Civil War." * Linda Hunt (born 1945), the Academy Award winning actress, was born in Morristown.Kelly, Kevin. "LINDA HUNT; AT LAST, SHE WINS FIGHT FOR RECOGNITION", Boston Globe, January 15, 1984. Accessed January 3, 2011. * Otto Hermann Kahn (1867–1934), among the 76 millionaires listed in the 1896 Morristown Social Directory.Rae, John W. & John W. Rae Jr. (1980). Morristown's Forgotten Past "The Gilded Age." Morristown, NJ, John W. Rae. * Luther Kountze (1841–1918), banker who built an estate in Morristown in the late 1880s.Staff. "OLD KOUNTZE ESTATE SOLD; Physician Buys 400 Acres at Moristown, N.J.", The New York Times, March 2, 1924. Accessed January 3, 2011. "Dr. Nathan Blaustein of New York City has purchased the large estate formerly owned by the late Luther Kountze, known as 'Delbarton,' at Morristown, N.J. " * Connor Lade (born 1989), soccer player for New York Red Bulls.via Associated press. "Barklage, Lade re-sign for NY", Fox Sports, November 27, 2012. Accessed December 24, 2012. "A former St. John's University product, Lade started 22 of 26 matches and had three assists. The Morristown native also started the team's two playoff games this year." * Fran Lebowitz (born 1950), author.Morris, Bob. "At Lunch with: Fran Lebowitz; Words Are Easy, Books Are Not", The New York Times, August 10, 1994. Accessed July 19, 2012. "Ms. Lebowitz grew up in Morristown, N.J., where her parents owned a furniture store." * Dave Moore (born 1969), former NFL tight end.Dave Moore profile, National Football League Players Association. Accessed July 24, 2007. "Hometown: Morristown, NJ...Attended Roxbury High School in Succasunna, New Jersey, lettering in football, basketball, baseball and track… High school All-America as a senior." * Troy Murphy (born 1980), professional basketball player.Youngmisuk, Ohm. "Doherty's Putting the 'Fight' Back in Fighting Irish", New York Daily News, March 30, 2000. Accessed June 1, 2008. "'You can consider him a player's coach,' said Troy Murphy, a Morristown native and Big East Player of the Year." * Thomas Nast (1840–1902), caricaturist and editorial cartoonist, lived in Morristown for more than 20 years.Thomas Nast: America's Image Maker, Macculloch Hall Museum. Accessed July 24, 2007. "Thomas Nast moved his family to Morristown, NJ in 1870, believing it to be a safe distance from his political enemy, William "Boss" Tweed of New York. Although his work for Harper's took him weekly to New York for overnight stays, Nast was a full-fledged resident of Morristown." * Craig Newmark (born 1952), founder of Craigslist was born in Morristown and attended Morristown High School.Ante, Stephen E. "The Net's Free Force: Craig Newmark's craigslist is an online grapevine that generates 1.5 billion page views a month", Business Week, August 15, 2005. "A 52-year-old native of Morristown, N.J., Newmark began craigslist while working as a freelance software developer in San Francisco." * Neil O'Donnell (born 1966), former NFL quarterback, most notably for the Pittsburgh Steelers.Nakamura, David. "O'Donnell Bracing for Media Blitz; Quarterback Jumps From Pittsburgh's Frying Pan to New York's Firing Line", The Washington Post, August 13, 1996. Accessed February 26, 2008. "Since joining the Jets -- and returning to play near his home in Morristown, N.J. -- O'Donnell has tried to quash talk that he is more interested in getting paid..." * Sister Parish (1910–1994), interior decorator and socialite, most notably as the first interior designer brought in to decorate the Kennedy White House.Pace, Eric. "Sister Parish, Grande Dame of American Interior Decorating, Is Dead at 84", The New York Times, September 10, 1994. Accessed July 17, 2011. "Mrs. Parish's own girlhood was, if not regal, at least baronial. She was born Dorothy May Kinnicutt in July 15, 1910, in Morristown, N.J., the daughter of G. Hermann Kinnicutt and the former May Appleton Tuckerman, who had homes in Manhattan, Maine and Paris, as well as New Jersey." * Mahlon Pitney (1858-1924), Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.Mahlon Pitney, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed May 9, 2012. * Rick Porcello (born 1988), starting pitcher for the Detroit Tigers.via Associated Press. "RHP Porcello is Detroit Tigers rookie of the year", USA Today, November 5, 2009. Accessed January 3, 2011. "Porcello led all American League rookies with 14 wins in 2009. The Morristown, N.J., native notched a 3.96 ERA and 89 strikeouts in his first season." * Robert Randolph of Robert Randolph & the Family Band.Wise, Brian. "Eclectic Sounds of New Jersey, Echoing From Coast to Coast", The New York Times, February 8, 2004. Accessed May 9, 2012. "Meanwhile, Robert Randolph of Morristown has been nominated for best rock gospel album for Unclassified, a visceral mix of gospel, blues and steel guitar sounds." * Rocky Rees (born 1949), head football coach at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania from 1990 to 2010.2009 Football Coaching Staff: Rocky Rees, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Raiders football team. Accessed August 19, 2012. "Rees played football at Bayley Ellard Regional High School in Madison, New Jersey where he twice named All-County and was selected as a team captain his senior season. Following graduation in 1967, the Morristown, New Jersey native attended West Chester University where he earned All-PSAC Eastern Division honors as a running back in 1968 and 1970." * Garrett Reisman (born 1968) NASA astronaut, first American to be on board of the International Space Station.Garrett E. Reisman, NASA. Accessed October 7, 2008. * Tony Scott (1921-2007), Bebop clarinetist, arranger, New World music innovator.Fox, Margalit. "Tony Scott, Jazz Clarinetist Who Mastered Bebop, Dies at 85", The New York Times, March 31, 2007. Accessed July 23, 2012. "Anthony Joseph Sciacca — his family name is pronounced “Shaka” — was born on June 17, 1921, in Morristown, N.J., to parents who had come from Sicily." * Gene Shalit (born 1932), film critic on NBC's The Today Show.Gene Shalit, The Today Show, December 10, 2004. Accessed January 27, 2008. "In six years he fled to Morristown, New Jersey, where he was columnist for the high school paper and narrowly escaped expulsion." * Alexander Slobodyanik (1941-2008), classical pianist.Weber, Bruce. "Alexander Slobodyanik, Pianist, Is Dead at 65 ", The New York Times, August 12, 2008. Accessed August 4, 2013. "Alexander Slobodyanik, a Ukrainian-born pianist who earned stardom in the former Soviet Union with his virtuosity and emotional interpretations of Romantic composers and who has been a concert pianist and in-demand teacher since moving to the United States in 1989, died on Sunday in New Jersey. He was 65 and lived in Morristown, N.J." * Lexington Steele (born 1969), pornographic actor, director and owner of Mercenary Motion Pictures and Black Viking Pictures.Bussel, Rachel Kramer. [http://books.google.com/books?id=9pHVvLmnPq4C&pg=PA189 Best Sex Writing 2008], p. 189. ReadHowYouWant.com, 2010. ISBN 9781458753403. Accessed August 13, 2013. "Before Lexington Steele was Lexington Steele, a king of West Coast porn production, he was a suburban East Coast kid, from Morristown, New Jersey, a middle-class, churchgoing kid who didn't have girlfriends but excelled at sports (and lettered in three) before graduating from high school and first matriculating at Morehouse College only to eventually transfer to Syracuse." * John Cleves Symmes (1742–1814), Delegate to the Continental Congress, pioneer responsible for the Symmes Purchase, Father-in-law of President William Henry Harrison.Hamilton, Alexander; and Syrett, Harold Coffin. [http://books.google.com/books?id=AA49EEZWA0IC&pg=PA441&dq=%22John+Cleves+Symmes%22+morristown The Papers of Alexander Hamilton: Volume 6], p. 441. Columbia University Press, 1962. ISBN 0231089058. Accessed December 19, 2012. "1.... He was an associate of John Cleves Symmes in the Miami Purchase. 2. Symmes, a resident of Morristown, New Jersey, organized the New Jersey group that obtained the Miami Purchase in October, 1788." * Jyles Tucker (born 1983), linebacker for the San Diego Chargers.Jyles Tucker, San Diego Chargers. Accessed November 21, 2007. * Alfred Vail (1807–1859), inventor of the Morse code.Alfred Vail, World of Invention. Accessed June 1, 2008. "Alfred Vail was born on September 25, 1807, in Morristown, New Jersey, where his father, Stephen, operated the Speedwell Iron Works." * Tom Verlaine (born 1949) songwriter, guitarist, and lead singer for the New York rock band Television.New Jersey Music, FamousNewJerseyans.com. Accessed july 17, 2011. * George Theodore Werts (1846–1910), 28th Governor of New Jersey from 1893 to 1896, who served as Mayor of Morristown from 1886 to 1892.New Jersey Governor George Theodore Werts, National Governors Association. Accessed August 1, 2007. * Nancy Zeltsman (born 1958), jazz vibraphonist.Nancy Zeltsman, University of Florida. Accessed July 17, 2011. "Nancy Zeltsman was born in 1958 in Morristown, New Jersey. She studied piano starting at age five and then took up percussion when she was thirteen. She studied intensely with Ian Finkel during high school, focusing on mallet sight-reading."Biography, Nancy Zeltsman. Accessed November 23, 2008. References External links * Official website * "Where the People Live" * The Morristown & Morris Township Public Library Category:1865 establishments in New Jersey Category:County seats in New Jersey Category:Faulkner Act Mayor-Council Category:Morristown, New Jersey Category:Settlements established in 1865 Category:Towns in Morris County, New Jersey